Veterinary Ringworm

Causes

• Ringworm is caused by a fungus that gets trapped in the hair, skin, or nails of the infected animal or person. It is transferred by direct contact with the animal or even by touching anything that came in contact, such as a comb, or bedding. Ringworm is more common in puppies than older dogs. Dogs are actually the third most common animal to get ringworm, with cats being the first.

Symptoms

• Ringworm in dogs is typically identified by small round lesions where the infection is found. There are often broken hairs and/or hair loss surrounding the lesions. Pustules can also be found in the center of the lesion, but this is not always the case. Another sign of ringworm is that the lesion may start off small and continue to grow in size as the infection sets in. The infected area may also be irritated and/or itchy.

Diagnosis

• When you take your dog to the vet, he will use several different ways to diagnosis ringworm. The most common is using a special black light, called a Wood's lamp. Certain types of the fungus will glow when under this type of lamp. Another way to diagnosis ringworm is by taking one or more of the hairs found on the lesion and looking at them under a microscope. This is helped by using a solution that will make them easier to see. About 40 to 70 percent of the ringworm-causing fungus can be found this way. However, the most common and accurate test is done by collecting samples of the scaling and doing a culture. This is such a routine test that your local veterinarian can conduct it in the office.

Treatment

• While it is possible for the ringworm fungus to go away on its own after a few months, it is best for overall health of your dog to get it treated by a veterinarian. Topical treatments are the most cost-effective way to treat ringworm and can range from anti-fungal shampoos and rinses to creams and solutions. Applications of such topical treatments are done at least twice a day for three to eight weeks, depending on severity. There are oral medications for ringworm, however, these are only used in extreme cases as they are expensive and have multiple side effects.

Prevention

• Vaccines for ringworm are not currently available, so prevention is left up to the dog owner. A good way of keeping ringworm fungus away is by bathing your dog regularly. Also, keeping your dog's area and possessions clean and sanitize will help lessen the spread of the fungus. As the fungus can be spread through veterinary offices and kennels, make sure the places your dog frequents are also clean and sanitized regularly.